STEAM IRONING AND/OR SMOOTHING APPLIANCE COMPRISING AN IRONING BOARD THAT CAN BE IMMOBILIZED IN VARIOUS TILTED POSITIONS

Abstract

A steam ironing and/or smoothing appliance including an ironing board against which a garment to be ironed can be placed for a steam treatment, the ironing board being mounted with the ability to pivot by a hinge device enabling the ironing board to be immobilized in various tilted positions, the hinge device including a first part which is mobile in rotation in relation to a second part, the first part including at least one notch in which is engaged at least one locking element carried by the second part in order to prevent the hinge device from rotating, wherein the second part is mobile in translation in relation to the first part according to a course and a direction enabling the locking element to engage and disengage in the notch.

Claims

1) A steam ironing and/or smoothing appliance comprising an ironing board against which a garment to be ironed can be placed for a steam treatment, the ironing board being mounted with the ability to pivot by a hinge device enabling the ironing board to be immobilized in various tilted positions, the hinge device comprising a first part which is mobile in rotation in relation to a second part, the first part comprising at least one notch in which is engaged at least one locking element carried by the second part in order to prevent the hinge device from rotating, the second part being mobile in translation in relation to the first part according to a course and a direction enabling the locking element to engage and disengage in the notch, wherein the hinge device comprises a finger, carried by either the first or second part, which is mounted with the ability to slide in a groove arranged in the other of the first or second part, the finger being configured to pivot freely in the groove.

2) The steam ironing and/or smoothing appliance according to claim 1, wherein the shape and position of the notch are adapted so that the locking element automatically engages in the notch under the effect of the weight of the ironing board.

3) The steam ironing and/or smoothing appliance according to claim 1, wherein the locking element is fixedly mounted on the second part.

4) The steam ironing and/or smoothing appliance according to claim 1, wherein the hinge device permits immobilizing the ironing board in at least one horizontal position, one vertical position and one intermediate position between the vertical position and the horizontal position.

5) The steam ironing and/or smoothing appliance according to claim 1, wherein the second part comprises several locking elements.

6) The steam ironing and/or smoothing appliance according to claim 1, wherein the locking element has the form of a cylindrical finger or a tooth.

7) The steam ironing and/or smoothing appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first part comprises several notches.

8) The steam ironing and/or smoothing appliance according to claim 1, wherein the notch is open at its upper end.

9) The steam ironing and/or smoothing appliance according to claim 1, wherein the notch is trapezoidal in shape.

10) The steam ironing and/or smoothing appliance according to claim 1, further comprising at least one pole which supports the ironing board, the first part being fixed to a top of the pole and the second part being fixed to the ironing board.

11) The steam ironing and/or smoothing appliance according to claim 10, comprising two parallel poles which support the ironing board.

12) The steam ironing appliance and/or smoothing according to claim 1, further comprising a base containing a water tank, the base being connected by a flexible pipe to a smoothing tool comprising at least one hole for emission of steam.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The objects, aspects, and benefits of this invention will be more fully understood in consideration of the following description of two particular embodiments of the invention presented as non-restrictive examples, by referring to the attached drawings in which:

[0044] FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of an ironing appliance according to a first particular embodiment of the invention with the ironing board in a vertical position;

[0045] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective detail view of the hinge device supporting the ironing board of the appliance in FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0046] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross sectional detail view, according to line IV-IV of FIG. 3, of the hinge device when the board is locked in a vertical position;

[0047] FIGS. 5 and 7 are perspective views of the appliance in FIG. 1 when the ironing board is locked in an intermediate tilt position and in a horizontal position, respectively;

[0048] FIGS. 6 and 8 are longitudinal cross sectional detail views of the hinge device when the board is locked in an intermediate tilt position and in a horizontal position, respectively;

[0049] FIGS. 9 and 10 are, respectively, perspective and exploded perspective views of a tilting board system according to a second embodiment of the invention intended to equip the appliance in FIG. 1.

[0050] Only the elements necessary for understanding the invention have been represented. To facilitate reading of the drawings, the same elements bear the same references from one figure to the next. Note that in this document, the terms horizontal, vertical, lower, upper, front and back used to describe the appliance refer to this appliance when its base rests flat on the floor as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0051] FIGS. 1, 2 represent a steam ironing appliance comprising a base 1 for steam generation connected by a flexible pipe 2 to a smoothing brush 3 comprising holes for emission of steam, illustrated only in FIG. 1.

[0052] The base 1 comprises, in a manner known per se, a water tank 10 connected to a boiling chamber, not represented in the figures, permitting the continuous production of a stream of saturated steam, the boiling chamber being connected directly to the flexible pipe 2 such that the steam produced by the boiling chamber can escape freely toward the steaming brush 3.

[0053] Such a base 1 for steam generation is well known to those skilled in the art, and is, for example, technically similar to the base for steam generation described in detail in the patent application WO2004/023957.

[0054] In accordance with FIG. 2, the appliance also comprises a stand 4 on which the base 1 rests, the stand 4 comprising two telescopic poles 40, including an upper end supporting an ironing board 5 on which the clothing to be smoothed may be placed, the ironing board 5 beneficially having a generally rectangular shape, with a slightly widened upper end adapted to hold a shirt or a jacket as a coat hanger would.

[0055] The ironing board 5 is mounted with the ability to pivot on the end of the poles 40 by means of a hinge device 6 to immobilize the ironing board 5 in different tilted positions and beneficially in a vertical position (illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2), in a horizontal position (illustrated in FIG. 7), and in an intermediate position (illustrated in FIG. 5).

[0056] In accordance with FIG. 3, the hinge device 6 comprises, at the end of each pole 40, the same hinge system comprising a first part 61 integral with the upper end of the pole 40 and a second part 62 integral with the ironing board 5.

[0057] In the embodiment shown, the first part has the shape of a vertical, rectangular plate 61, with a rounded upper edge, and the second part has the shape of a case 62 with two side flanges 62A having a space between them in which the plate 61 engages.

[0058] The case 62 beneficially comprises a side opening 63 by which the plate 61 is engaged between the two flanges 62A and comprises, opposite the side opening 63, a side wall 64 making a rigid connection between the two flanges. The case 62 comprises, at the feet of the side wall 64, a bottom wall 65 which extends on both sides of the flanges 62A and attaches the case 62 to a cross member 50 integral with the rear face of the ironing board 5.

[0059] In accordance with FIG. 4, the plate 61 comprises a vertical groove 66 in which a finger 67 slides, carried by the case 62, to allow both a vertical translational movement of the case 62 in relation to the plate 61, by translation of the finger 67 in the groove 66, and a pivoting movement of the case 62 around the plate 61, by rotation of the finger 67 in the groove 66.

[0060] In the embodiment example illustrated in the figures, the groove 66 extends vertically on a length of approximately 2 cm (i.e., +1-20%) and is approximately 6 mm in width (i.e., +1-20%), the finger being formed by a first cylindrical axle 67 extending perpendicularly between the two side flanges 62A, the first axle 67 being arranged close to the side opening 63 of the case 62 and having a diameter slightly smaller than the width of the groove 66 in order to permit the first axle 67 to slide and pivot freely inside the groove 66.

[0061] The case 62 also comprises a second cylindrical axle 68 which extends perpendicularly between the two side flanges 62A, this second cylindrical axle 68 being arranged in the vicinity of the side wall 64 of the case 62 and moving along the periphery of the upper end of the plate 61 when the case 62 is moved according to a pivoting movement around the plate 61.

[0062] As can be seen on FIGS. 4 and 6, the upper edge of the plate 61 comprises a first 69A and a second notch 69B which beneficially are trapezoidal in shape and are greater than 6 mm in depth. The first notch 69A is arranged in alignment with the groove 66 and is intended to hold the second cylindrical axle 68 when the ironing board 5 is in the vertical position, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4.

[0063] The second notch 69B is axially offset with respect to the longitudinal axis of the groove 66, toward the back of the appliance, and is intended to hold the second axle 68 when the ironing board 5 is in a titled position in which it forms an angle of approximately 40 (i.e., +/20%) with respect to the vertical, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0064] The second notch 69B is also intended to hold a tooth 65A which extends over the bottom wall 65 of the case 62 and engages in the second notch 69B when the ironing board 5 is arranged substantially horizontally, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0065] In this way, a steam ironing appliance is obtained which comprises an ironing board 5 which rests on a hinge device 6 that is simple and economical to make and enables the ironing board 5 to be arranged in three different orientations.

[0066] The user can then choose the one that seems best suited for the ironing work to be done, for better ergonomics of use.

[0067] In particular, the ironing appliance equipped with such a hinge device 6 has the benefit of being reliable and offering very good ergonomics of use, as the user who wishes to change the tilt of the ironing board 5 has only to raise it on a course of a few millimeters in order to disengage the tooth 65A, or the second axle 68, from the notches 69A, 69B, and then to shift it toward the desired position out of the other two positions offered. During this shifting, the user may beneficially stop raising the ironing board 5 such that the second axle 68 and/or the tooth 65A rest on the top edge of plate 61 and engage automatically, under the effect of the weight of the ironing board 5, in the neighboring notch 69A, 69B when the ironing board 5 reaches one of the other locking positions offered by the hinge device 6.

[0068] In addition, the shape of the top edge of the plate 61 in the vicinity of the notches 69A, 69B may be worked to have a more or less pronounced slope in the direction of the notches 69A, 69B and thus shift the ironing board 5 more or less rapidly toward the immobilized position under the effect of the weight of the ironing board 5.

[0069] FIGS. 9 and 10 disclose a second embodiment of a tilting board system that may equip the appliance in FIG. 1.

[0070] In accordance with these figures, this second embodiment is different from the one described in FIGS. 1 to 8 only in that the two poles 40 are connected to one another at their top end by a crossbar 41 which supports a single hinge device 106 centrally arranged at the summit of the crossbar 41, the hinge device 106 including, in the same subassembly, two vertical plates 161 topped by a case 162 which have characteristics similar, respectively, to the plates 61 and the case 62 of the hinge device described in the first embodiment. The hinge device 106 thus formed operates in a manner similar to the hinge device 6 described in the first embodiment and has the benefit of being centrally positioned, which exposes more of the back face of the ironing board 5 in the vicinity of its peripheral edge and thus offers greater freedom to position a garment.

[0071] It will be appreciated that the invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described and illustrated, which have been provided as examples. Modifications are still possible, in particular from the point of view of composition of the various components or by substitution of equivalent techniques, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

[0072] Thus, in an embodiment variant not represented, the hinge device may comprise more notches to permit immobilizing the ironing board in more numerous positions.

[0073] Thus, in an embodiment variant not represented, the ironing board may be supported by a single pole equipped with a hinge device similar to the one described in the second embodiment illustrated.

[0074] Thus, in an embodiment variant not represented, the hinge device may be supported directly by the base.

[0075] Thus, in another embodiment not represented, the base may be connected to a smoothing tool, comprising a heating body containing an instant vaporization chamber, possibly in combination with a metal ironing soleplate. In this case, the base may be equipped with a steam generator, similar to the one described in the embodiment illustrated in the figures, to send the steam toward the smoothing tool, the instant vaporization chamber, integrated in the smoothing tool, then serving to vaporize any condensate transported by the steam; or the base may not be equipped with a steam generator but include a water tank and an electric pump to send the water from the tank toward the smoothing tool such that the steam is produced by the vaporization chamber integrated in the smoothing tool.